determinant
Americannoun
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determinants
plural
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a determining agent or factor.
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Mathematics. an algebraic expression of the sum of products of elements, each with an appropriate algebraic sign, usually written in a square array and used in the solution of systems of linear equations.
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Also called antigenic determinant, epitope. Immunology. any site on an antigen molecule at which an antibody can bind, the chemical structure of the site determining the specific combining antibody.
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Genetics Archaic. a gene.
adjective
noun
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a factor, circumstance, etc, that influences or determines
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maths a square array of elements that represents the sum of certain products of these elements, used to solve simultaneous equations, in vector studies, etc Compare matrix
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of determinant
First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin dēterminant- (stem of dētermināns ), present participle of dētermināre; see determine, -ant
Explanation
A determinant is a factor or cause that makes something happen or leads directly to a decision. The word determinant hasn't strayed much from its roots in the Latin word for "determining." As a noun or adjective, it refers to determining or deciding something. A snowstorm could be a determinant in school being canceled. Or a good health-care plan could be the determinant in someone taking a job. The determinant cause of a disease is responsible for the spread of the disease. Anything described as determinant is important.
Vocabulary lists containing determinant
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
On admissions, he said tests “should be part of the process, not a determinant factor.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
After your basic financial needs are met, climate may be the single biggest determinant of day-to-day happiness.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
He found an example of a function in three dimensions which has a constant Jacobian determinant of -2, and which moves multiple input points to the same output point, so it is not reversible.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
A paycheck isn’t the only determinant of where Americans place themselves on the socioeconomic ladder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
Culture to us seems the great determinant of how human beings conduct themselves; in the relentless academic debate between “nature and nurture,” it is the “nurture” school which commands greater support from the bystanders.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Fourth: Housing is one of the most important determinants of our health.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 23, 2026
Along with neighbouring Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent is the first Marmot council in Wales - this means it is committed to reducing health inequalities by addressing social determinants such as education, employment, and housing.
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2026
"For many years, lifespan was attributed mainly to non-genetic factors, fueling skepticism about genetic determinants of longevity."
From Science Daily ● Apr. 13, 2026
UT Austin also educates medical professionals in “social determinants of health,” according to its website.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025
It is clear by this that sex of rearing, rather than genetic determinants, plays a greater role in the establishment of gender identity.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
